Author name: Anthropos India Foundation

Anthropos India Foundation organized a very interactive and thought-stimulating lecture by Prof. Geetika Ranjan, a well-known anthropologist with a wide range of research in political anthropology, childhood studies, and tribal society. The lecture delved into the role of anthropology in development using the framework of meticulous ethnographic studies, critical thought, and ethical involvement. Prof. Ranjan stressed the integrated nature of the discipline, using notable anthropologists whose works are still defining development. She emphasized the pioneering work of Bronislaw Malinowski in ethnographic fieldwork using his intensive studies in the Trobriand Islands, as presented in “Argonauts of the Western Pacific.” D.N. Majumdar’s M.A.R.C. (Man, Area, Resource, Cooperation) approach was also debated as an innovative model for tribal development in India. L.K. Mahapatra’s critical evaluation of displacement policies, specifically his support for displaced tribal populations, was presented as a relevant instance of applied anthropology. Prof. Ranjan also commented on S.C. Dube’s “India’s Changing Villages” and Irawati Karve’s ethnographic study of the social effects of the Koyna Dam displacement, highlighting how such studies are exemplars of the ability of anthropology to shape policy and promote participatory development.

Professor Subhash Walimbe, a retired faculty member of Deccan College Post-Graduate
and Research Institute, Pune, is a leading expert in human skeletal biology and
bioarchaeology. With over four decades of research, he has played a key role in shifting
Indian skeletal studies from racial typology to a bio-cultural approach. His work has
significantly contributed to understanding population movements in South Asia,
challenging the Aryan Invasion Theory and demonstrating genetic continuity over
10,000 years.

Prof. Basa completed his Ph. D. in Archaeology from the University of London and was a Commonwealth Academic Staff, Post Doctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge. A former Head, Department of Anthropology, Utkal University, Prof. Basa has the rare distinction of heading seven leading organisations of the country, which include Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manav
Sangrahalaya (Bhopal), Indian Museum (Kolkata), Anthropological Survey of India, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University (Baripada), Fakir Mohan University (Balasore), Archaeological Survey of India and National Monuments Authority. Recipient of two Gold Medals – the Surajmal Saha Memorial Gold Medal and Prof. Ghanshyam Das Memorial Gold Medal, Prof. Basa was also a Tagore National Fellow, Ministry of Culture. He has delivered 12 memorial lectures in various parts of the country, has published widely in the fields of anthropology, archaeology and museum studies. He has excavated the sites of Malikhoja, Bang-Harirajpur and Gouranga Patana in Odisha, and is the Founder Editor of the journal Humankind. At present, he is the Chairman, Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists (INCAA), and Chairman of National Monuments Authority.

The lecture by Prof. Amitabh Pande, Director of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, provided an in-depth exploration of environmental anthropology and its significant implications for public policy. Prof. Pande emphasized the vital role that anthropological perspectives can play in shaping environmental policies, highlighting how the cultural, social, and ecological practices of indigenous and local communities offer valuable insights into sustainable development.

Throughout the presentation, Prof. Pande delved into the complex relationships between human societies and their environments. He illustrated how traditional ecological knowledge, often overlooked in policy-making processes, can contribute to more effective and inclusive environmental governance. By integrating anthropology into public policy, Prof. Pande argued, we can better address pressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and resource management.

A key theme of the lecture was the role of the public in environmental decision-making. Prof. Pande encouraged active public participation, stressing that policies should not only be informed by scientific data but also by the lived experiences and knowledge of communities that are directly affected by environmental changes. This bottom-up approach ensures that policies are more adaptable, culturally relevant, and sustainable in the long term.

The Pre-Lokmanthan event discussed strategies to protect traditional herbal healers from exploitation. Topics included fair trade standards, ethical commercialization, legal frameworks for intellectual property rights, and fair profit-sharing between companies and communities, ensuring respect and equitable treatment for healers.

Anthropos India Foundation conducted an online, full-day workshop on “PATHWAYS TO TWO DOZEN CAREERS IN ANTHROPOLOGY” on 1st September,
2024. It was attended with fervent spirit by 100
participants from all over India.